Method and apparatus for reducing fuel oil or the like to a comminuted condition



Aprll 25, 19.33. E, STOLL 1,905,610

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR REDUCING FUEL OIL OR THE LIKE TO A COMMINUTED CONDITION Filed D60. 17 1927 4 41 azozz,

aka z M145 Patentedlp 3" um'rso STATES PATENT OFFICE man A. STOLL, or scorn 13mm, mnmna METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR REDUCING .FUEL OIL OR 1'0 A GOMMINU'IED CONDITION Application filed December 17,1927. Serial No. 240,858. I

My invention relates to the treatment of fuel oil and other liquid hydrocarbons mtended for general purpose uses as well as in, connection with oil ,burning apparatus "5 and internal combustion engines, in which I use certain constituent members, powerdriven in connection with the use of liquid fuels, particularly those liquid fuels difiicult to 'comminute and vaporize at peratures. E

' One object of the invention is to so treat fuel oil or other liquid hydrocarbon, that the same shall be converted into a finely comminu'ted state so that the liquid shall be reduced to a form of mist which can be conveyed for considerabledistancethrough suitable passages without danger of condensation from the condition of the mist to its original condition; and so that when in this fine sub-division it can be readily and instantaneously vaporized by the application of heat. A further object is to so treat fuel oil or other hydrocarbon liquid, that the diciency of the same in an internal combustion engine or other apparatus in which such fuel may be employed, can be secured by reducing such fuel or hydrocarbon liquid to a fine state of division whereby a mist is formed rather than a vapor such as produced by vaorization with heat; or that it can be readi-y y and 'efliciently vaporized with heat.

Further objects are to form a good, rich atomized mixture for use in internal combustion engines, or oil burning apparatus, con sisting of atomized fuel'oil, that has been produced in as near .a vacuum as possible,

and supply a proper quantity of air requisite" for com lete combustion at the place'where combustion takes place; the production ofafinely atomized substance that can be conveyed forsome distance throu h passages without requiring the addition 0 heated air, or the heating of the pasages to prevent condensation to liquid condition, thus making possible a central system for supplying batteries of heating apparatus; that of pro-- ducing a finely atomized substance which can be controlled at will as to quantity pro duced and delivered; and a still further object being extracting from crudepetroleum,

ordinary tem-' or other liquid-hydrocarbons, a finely atomized fuel of the character shown in the accompanying drawing. In this drawing, the figure is a vertical sectional view of my improved apparatus.

Referring to the drawing I attain these objects by mechanism operating a vporous rotor 5 at a required velocity, though the speed may be varied with the desired results still being obtained, into which the fuel oil, or other liquid hydrocar bons, is introduced by means of pipe 1 and a hollowshaft, or axle. 2, and forced through the rotor by centrifugal action, being delivered at the rotors periphery in the form of a very fine, minute subdivision. To accomplish this it is essential that the rotor be. constituted of innumerable minute, varied and. diverging passages, or channels, in order that the oil, or hydrocarbons, shall be thoroughly brokenup and-diffused during expulsion. A rotor suitable for these puroses may be constructed of felt,.or of matted 1 bers of wool, or cotton, or fur, or hair, and, or, of similar materials, formed into a'com- F pact body; or maybe aconcreted'cea'rthy or mineral matter which is both porous and absorbent, and afiording very small passages through-which the oil, or'h'ydrocarbons, may be passed as above stated and with like so eifect. l

My experiments have demonstrated that a rotor constructe ofa combination of matted fibers of wool, fur, or hair, or cotton, fulled, or .wrought intoa compact substance, also the material known as felt, that by reasonv of lightness in weight; its less susceptibility to centrifugal force; its compactness and,the ability of its adjustmentto requirements of: different grades of fuel oil, or liquid hydrocarbons, affords much better, more advanta: geous and more efiicient and economical ma- .terial for rotor construction. 7 I

The use of a combination of material that includes wool, or another material highly re- .sponsive to friction in producing static electricity, is especiallyadvantageous in that a static-condition arising from rapid passage of the oil, or liquid hydrocarbons, through the revolving rotor tends to so charge with m electricity the tiny particles created so that they repel each other and remain apart for an indefinite time. It is also possible that a chemical condition aroused has the effect of 5' so coating the particlesthat they do not coalesce for aperiod of some time. Because of the extreme t-ininess of these particles it is practically impossible to so completely and accurately analyze them that the actual relative importance of the two factors named could be absolutely and definitely determined.

The axle, shaft on which the rotor is secured is bored with suitable sized outlets for admitting the oil, or liquid hydrocarbon, to

the core of the rotor and in the quantity needed; being suitably mounted in a vertical position onbearing 12 and is extended at the upper end for receiving the fuel supply pipe 1 and at the lower end for the attachment of a driving pulley 7 whereby motion may be transmitted from any convenient power source. The axle-shaft is threadedfor receiving combined adjustment nuts and plates 3 at top andbottom of the rotorfor increasing, or decreasing compactness of the latter.

Underneath the rotor, in close proximity,

is a suction fan 6, for which may be substituted a suction pump, the fan being mounted also on the axle-shaft. Its purpose isto draw off the liquid fuel reduced by the rotor, either in the form of a mist, or when heat has been applied, in the form of vaporized liquid fuel. The mechanism described is suitably encased in a bowl-shaped housing 4' constructed as near air tight as possible, aided by stufiing boxes 13 properly secured where .the shaft emerges from the housing, both top 0 and bottom. The casing} is in a position 'with its largest dimension uppermost, so that heat emanating from burners 8 and 10 encircling the exterior of the lower ortion of the housin will coyer all sides 0 the housing. The ousing 1s mounted on a standard.

'12. The burners are fed from a. passage 1012 leading out of the, lower part of the housing, from which another passage 11 carries off the product of the rotor td the place of consumption. The latter passage is supplied with a izigg.

l passages are 'sultably rovided with. valvesand cocks not shown or controlling supply and output. The principle of the machine is tofinely comminute fuel oil, and

other liquid hydrocarbon, so that when heat is applied they will be instantaneouslyconverted into anatomized liquid fuel.

An electric res'iqtance e0 1 9 may be introcharacter described, a casing duced in the housing; placing it around the inside Wall, so that the-broken up oil, or hydrocarbon, will strike direct on the coil, for the purpose of accentuatin the vaporizing and such other beneficial efiect as it may ave.

In my experiments I have vaporized and burned with a perfect Bunsen flame at a distance of forty feet from the producing machine, supplying the quantity of air required for perfect combustion at the burning point, such fuels as kerosene, furnace oil, factory oil, crank case drainings, and Nos. 3, 4 and 5 grades of heavy, asphaltic base road oil, this being accomplished without one drop of condensation and without applying other heat than was used in vaporizing.

Also the finely atomized liquid fuel was turned into a bottle which was sealed after being filled, it remaining in suspension for more than twenty-five minutes before condensation took place, and then being transformed into a different appearing liquid than as fed into the rotor.

Having fully described my invention what. I claim as new and desire to secure by Lettors-Patent, is

1. An apparatus for atomizing fuel oil or the like to a comminuted condition, comprising a hollow rotatable shaft having perforat-- ed walls, an annulus of matted fibrous material snugly embracing said shaft and mounted on said shaft, a casing enclosing the annulus, and means for adjustably compressing the annulus to vary the compactness of said fibrous material. 4

2. In an oil atomizing apparatus of the character described, a casing having an outlet, a hollow shaft rotatably mounted in the casing and having erforated walls, a pipe for feeding the liquid to be treated into sald shaft, an annulus surroundingl and mounted on said shaft, said annulus aving a relatively thick endless wall formed of matted fibrous material adapted to transpose the liquid into a mist as the liquid travels under centrifugal force from the shaft through the annulus and into the casin ,"and means for adj ustably compressing sai fibrous material to vary the density of the annulus. I

3. In an oil atomizing apparatus of the character described, a closed casing having a vapor outlet, a hollow shaft rotatably mounted in the casing and provided with an oil Inlet, the walls of the shaft being perforated,

an annulus of matted fibrous material surter, plates mounted on the shaft and arranged at the ends of the annulus, one of said plates being adjustable toward and away from. the other to vary the density of the fibrous mass. 4. In an oil atomizin'g apparatus of the aving a vapor outlet, a hollow shaftrotatably moun ed in the casing and having perforated walls, an

annulus of matted fibrous material mounted on and rotatable with the shaft, a burner for heating said casing, and means for'leading mist from the casing to said burner. a 5. In an oil atomizing apparatus of the character described, a casing having a plurality ofoutlet-s, a hollow shaft rotatably mounted in the casing and having perforated Walls, means for introducing oil into said shaft, plates adjustably mounted on said shaft for movement toward and away from each other, an annulus of matted fibrous ma terial surrounding the shaft and .movable with the latter, the ends of the annulus abutting against said plates, a burner for heating the casing, and means for leading oil mist from the casing to said burner.

In testimony whereof I hereuntoafix my signature, this 25th da of November, 1927. v E GAR A. STOLL. 

